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Rev.  STEPHEN  LIVINGSTON  BALDWIN,  D.D 


THE  CHINA  MISSION  OF  THE 
METHODIST  EPISCOPAL 
CHURCH 


By 

The  Rev.  ARTHUR  J.  BOWEN 

MISSIONARY,  NANKING,  CHINA 


Published  by  the 

OPEN  DOOR  EMERGENCY  COMMISSION 

150  Fieth  Avenue,  New  York 


Price,  E'ive  Cents 


Tue  Rev.  Stephen  Livingston  Baldwin,  D.D., 
was  bom  in  Somerville,  N.  J.,  January  11, 
1835,  and  died  at  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  July  28, 
1!)03.  His  long  period  of  service  as  a missionary  in 
China,  from  1859  to  1880,  gave  him  an  intimate  ac- 
quaintance with  the  entire  course  of  development  of 
the  China  Mission  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  while  it  also  furnished  him  with  an  almost 
iineipialed  store  of  touching  and  inspiring  missionary 
experiences.  He  became  “Leader  Baldwin,”  be- 
loved of  the  Chinese  the  world  over  as  their  truest 
friend.  The  foreign  field  will  probably  never  have 
a more  devoted,  competent  and  sympathetic  living 
link  with  the  missionary  agencies  at  home  than  ex- 
isted in  the  years  from  1888  to  the  close  of  his  excep- 
tionally useful  life,  during  wdiich  Dr.  Baldwin  was 
the  Recording  Secretary  of  the  Missionary  Society. 
Modest,  dignified,  vivacious,  unseltish,  equable,  able, 
the  influence  of  his  pure  and  chivalrous  personality 
will  long  continue  as  a benediction  with  the  great 
cause  he  so  deeply  loved. 

“ St.  Steplien  lent  to  thee  his  radiant  name. 

Thou  hast  returned  it  with  a stainless  fame  ; 

True  Christian  knight,  without  reproach  or  fear— 

In  love  a saint,  in  faith  and  hope  a seer.” 


CHINA  MISSION 


A PICTURE  OF  THE  MISSION  FIELD 

The  area  of  China,  if  the  view  is  limited  to  its  eighteen 
pro'vinces,  is  one-half  as  large  as  all  of  Europe,  or  as  large 
as  the  United  States  east  of  the  Mississippi,  with  Texas, 
Arkansas,  Missouri  and  Iowa  added.  Extending  1,474 
Area  miles  from  north  to  south,  and  1,355  miles  from  east  to 
west,  it  takes  twice  as  long  to  go  from  Shanghai  to 
Chung-king  in  Szechuen  as  it  does  to  go  from  Shanghai 
to  America. 

Broadly  speaking,  the  country  may  be  described  as  a 
series  of  great  basins  sloping  from  the  lofty  mountain 
ranges  on  its  western  borders  to  the  eastern  coast.  Three 
great  rivers,  the  Yellow,  the  Yang-tsze  and  the  West 
Three  flow  entirely  across  this  portion  of  the  empire  from 
River  west  to  east.  Innumerable  smaller  rivers  and  canals 
Basins  traverse  the  land,  much  the  same  as  do  the  railroads 
in  the  United  States,  and  answer  in  some  measure  the 
same  purposes  as  do  our  swifter  means  of  communication. 

Most  of  the  mountains  lie  to  the  south  of  the  Yang-tsze 
and  to  the  west  of  Hankow.  To  the  north  of  this  river  and 
extending  almost  to  Peking,  700  miles,  with  a varying 
width  of  150  to  500  miles,  is  the  Great  Plain.  The 
The  Great  masses  of  the  population  are  in  this  plain,  along 
Plain  the  river  courses,  and  in  the  multitude  of  smaller 

plains  and  valleys  between  the  mountain  ranges. 
While  it  is  true  in  a sense  that  China  is  crowded,  still  there 
are  millions  of  acres  of  available  land  lying  waste.  Probably 
twice  the  present  population  could  be  supported  within 


China  not  , its  borders  if  western  thrift  and  science 

Over-Populated  were  emploj’ed  in  reclaiming  baiTen  up- 
lands and  developing  lands  now  cultivated. 

Upon  landing  in  Shanghai,  the  new  missionary  is  im- 
pressed with  the  European  character  of  the  prospect  that 
opens  before  him.  He  sees  a harbor  crowded  with  launches, 
schooners,  merchantmen  and  gunboats  from  all 
Shanghai  countries.  He  walks  on  broad,  paved,  well-kept 
streets  ; b}’^  gardens,  green  and  brilliant  with  semi- 
tropical  plants  and  shrubs.  He  sees  business  houses  three 
and  four  stories  high  stretching  for  two  miles  in  the  dis- 


THE  YANG-TSZE.  FKOG  ROCK,  PO-YANG  LAKE. 

tance.  Behind  them  are  series  of  flats,  or  more  pretentious 
dwellings,  with  their  neatly  kept  lawns,  stables,  and  liveried 
servants.  In  short,  he  finds  a modern  city,  with  its  gas, 
electric  lights,  water  works,  public  halls,  and  all  that  is 
needed  for  physical  comfort. 

But  let  him  leave  this  metropolis  and  ascend  the  great 
river.  Then  things  foreign  soon  disappear.  If  he  will  leave 
his  steamer,  take  a small  native  boat,  ‘ ‘ manned”  by  the  entire 
family  of  the  captain,  and  push  up  one  of  the  small  rivers, 
he  will  get  into  pui-ely  native  surroundings,  in 
Up  the  which  the  great  majority  of  missionaries  labor. 

Yang-Tsze  Even  in  the  port  cities  they  do  their  work  in  the 


8 


native  part,  whicli  is  essentially  the  same  as  a native  city 
in  the  interior.  As  j'et,  the  larger  cities  only  are  occupied 
for  residence  centers.  Here  thei’e  will  be,  as  a rule,  not  less 
than  two  or  three  families,  with  no  other  foreigners  nearer 
than  a several  days’  journey. 

The  streets  of  - native  cities  are  from  eight  to  fifteen  feet 
wide,  usually  paved,  but  always  in  the  worst  of  repair. 
The  sewers  are  only  two  or  three  feet  under  the  pavement 
in  a covered  drain  which  frequently  chokes  up  or 
An  Interior  gets  broken  and  exudes  its  contents  over  the  road. 
City  The  shops,  with  the  whole  front  thrown  open  in 

the  daytime,  are  at  once  the  place  of  business 
and  the  residence.  The  many  highly  colored  signboards, 
the  displayed  goods,  an  incessant  stream  of  people,  all  com- 
bine to  give  the  streets  an  animated  appearance.  Here  one 
meets  the  coolie  with  his  bamboo  pole  over  his  shoulder 
carrying  his  load  attached  to  its  ends.  Traveling  bakers, 
confectioners,  shoemakers,  blacksmiths,  and  all  the  other 
petty  traders  sit  by  the  road  or  jostle  along  the  narrow  way. 
Officials  on  horseback  or  in  sedan  chairs,  preceded  by  lictors 
with  spears,  red  umbrella,  and  placards,  hurry  along,  brush- 
ing everybody  aside. 

The  houses  are  usually  only  one  story  high,  with  tile 
roof,  no  windows  opening  on  the  street,  but  each  having  an 
open  court  in  the  center.  The  floors  are  brick  or  the  bare 
earth,  to  foreigners  cold  and  cheerless  in  the 
The  Missionary  extreme.  Picture  the  missionary,  now  trained 
Preaching  for  his  work,  and  having  his  chapel  on  such 

a street  and  in  such  a building.  When  he 
wishes  to  preach  he  throws  the  outer  door  open.  The  passers 
by  crowd  in,  attracted  by  the  singing  or  the  presence  of  a 
foreigner,  or  by  some  one  discoursing,  and  never  being 
unduly  pressed  for  time,  they  pause  to  see  what  is  going 
on.  Some  sit  down  on  the  benches  provided,  others  push 
forward  as  near  the  speaker  as  possible.  Often  they  inter- 
rupt him  with  questions,  sometimes  pertinent  to  the  sub- 
ject, more  often  relating  to  his  dress,  his  name,  his  country, 
or  the  amount  of  his  salary.  The  majority  listen  respect- 


9 


fully  for  a time,  then  quietly  make  their  way  out,  while 
others  press  in.  Consequently  by  the  time  the  speaker  has 
eoncluded  his  address,  perhaps  two-thirds  of  his  original 
audience  have  left.  There  will  always  be  a few,  however, 
who  will  remain  throughout,  wdio  will  listen  intently,  and 
will  be  interested.  These  may  be  taken  into  a private  room 
and  instructed  more  fully.  Of  those  who  remain  only  for 
a short  time,  probably  most  go  away  with  some  new  idea. 

Then  the  missionary  wishes  to  visit  his  day-school, 
which  is  usually  connected  wnth  the  chapel.  Here  are  thirtj^ 
or  forty  boys  from  eight  to  sixteeen  years  of  age  studying 


CLASSROOr  IN  BOYS’  SCHOOL. 

at  the  top  their  voices,  each  oblivious  of  the  other. 
The  Day-  The  teacher  sits  at  his  desk  hearing  the  pupils  repeat 
School  from  memory  pages  of  their  books,  or  correcting 
their  essays,  answering  questions  and  explaining  the 
Bible  or  the  Chinese  classics,  and  attending  to  the  many 
other  incidental  duties. 

Going  out  on  the  street  in  this  way  to  his  chapel,  the  mis- 
sionary is  brought  in  contact  with  many  diseases,  and  with 
the  unspeakable  filth,  ignorance  and  vice  that  heathenism 
has  inherited  throughout  the  ages.  Yet  with  it  all  there  are 
many  bright  spots.  He  has  seen  not  a few  acts 
Light  Amid  of  kindness  and  of  love.  He  has  noted  and 
Heathenism  received  many  happy  smiles.  Some  soul-tortured 


10 


face  has  lit  up  with  new  hope  and  higher  longings.  God’s 
power  to  save  and  bless  has'not  been  withheld. 

When  one  goes  into  the  country,  he  must  either  walk  or 
take  a donkey  or  a boat.  He  usually  finds  the  latter  the 
most  satisfactory,  as  he  thus  gets  some  time  for  study, 
provides  his  own  “hotel,”  and  escapes  many 
T ravel  and  physical  hardships,  chiefly  those  connected  with 

Contact  with  the  inns.  Having  reached  a central  country 

the  People  station  he  leaves  his  boat  and  goes  to  his  street 

chapel  or  a friendly  tea  shop.  There  he  preaches, 
sells  the  Scriptures,  and  drinks  a few  cups  of  tea  while 
talking  personally  to  those  who  are  interested.  He  is  always 
sure  of  an  audience  even  in  a small  village.  Should  it  be  a 
market  day,  he  can  go  from  one  tea  house  to  another  with- 
out speaking  twice  to  the  same  people.  During  the  day  he 
will  often  speak  in  several  villages,  as  they  are  usually  not 
more  than  two  or  three  miles  apart.  As  a rule,  he  finds  the 
country  people  more  ready  to  accept  the  gospel,  more  simple 
minded,  and  more  devoted,  faithful  Christians. 

RELIGIOUS  SYSTEMS 
AND  IDEAS 
Confucianism,  while  not 
properly  a religion,  but  rather 
an  ethical  and  political  sys- 
tem, still  takes  its  place  and 
performs,  largely,  the  func- 
tions of  a real  religion.  It 
finds  outward  expression  in 
one  or  more  im- 
Confucianist  posing  temples  in 
System  and  each  of  the  larger 
Temples  cities.  These  tem- 

ples contain  no 
idols  and  are  empty  for  the 
most  part,  displaying  only  the 
tablet  of  Confucius  and  those 
of  his  more  illustrious  fol- 


11 


IMAGE  OP  CONFUCIUS. 


lowers.  The  common  people  have  no  access  to  them,  as  they 
are  held  sacred  to  the  Emperor  and  to  his  representatives, 
the  officials. 

While  Confucianism,  which  existed  long  before  Confu- 
cius, has  given  China  her  high  standard  of  morality  and 
her  most  lofty  ethical  teachings,  it  has  not  given  her  the 
power  to  be  morally  strong  or  to  obey  the  most 
Practical  obvious  ethical  precepts.  Morality  and  relig- 

Moral  Motive  ion  in  China  are  as  far  apart  as  heaven  and 
Weak  earth.  According  to  Confucianism,  the  high- 

est good  is  the  temporal  well-being  of  the 
community,  and  no  doubt  this  fact  is  largely  responsible 
for  the  lack  of  spiritual  insight  and  for  the  intense  mater- 
ialism ingrained  into  Chinese  character.  Its  ideal  of 
one’s  relation  to  the  unseen  might  be  expre.ssed  in  the 
formula,  “Respect  the  gods,  but  have  as  little  to  do  with 
them  as  possible.’’ 

If  China  has  a national  religion,  it  is  properly  Ancestral 
Wor-ship.  Prayers  are  made  at  Confucian,  Buddhist  and 
Taoist  temples,  but  only  on  special  occasions  and  for  tem- 
poral blessings,  such  as  for  rain,  for  sons,  for  suc- 
Ancestral  cess  in  some  undertaking;  that  is,  for  something 
Worship  relating  to  this  life.  Ancestral  worship,  on  the 
contrary,  is  constant,  is  actuated,  more  or  less,  by 
the  better  feelings,  and  does  not  seek,  primarily,  a temporal 
reward.  Its  outward  expression  consists  of  a tablet,  on 
which  are  the  deceased  parents’  and  ancestors'  names,  in  a 
shrine  in  some  prominent  place  in  the  home.  Before  this 
tablet  food  is  deposited  at  stated  intervals,  prayers  are  of- 
fered, prostrations  are  made,  and  incense  is  daily  burned. 
At  the  grave  the  worship  consists  of  prostrations,  placing 
food  and  wine  for  the  spirit  of  the  dead,  and  burning  paper 
money  for  his  use  in  the  other  world.  Each  clan  has  its 
ancestral  temple,  which  is  the  rallying  place  for  all  who 
belong  to  that  family  or  clan.  In  these  temples,  as  in  the 
homes,  images  are  not  used,  but  the  slips  of  wood  on  which 
the  names  are  written  are  supposed  to  be  the  homes  of  the 
spirits  of  the  departed. 


1-2 


Among  the  most  powerful  effects  of  ancestral  worship  is 
the  perpetuating  of  family  and  clan  ties  and  of  giving  the 
clan  an  enormous  influence  over  every  member  belonging 
to  it.  For  this  reason  it  forms  one  of  the  most 
Makes  powerful  agencies  in  China  for  resisting  the  gos- 

Clan  Ties  pel.  It  takes  remarkable  strength  of  conviction 
Powerful  and  will  powder  to  overcome  the  accumulated  in- 
fluences of  former  generations  of  one’s  relatives 
as  well  as  the  opposition  of  those  still  living.  Ancestral 
worship  has  fastened  upon  400,000,000  people  a most  subtle 
form  of  idolatry.  Few  of  the  men  of  China  will  defend  the 
idolatry  of  Buddhism  and  Taoism,  but  all  will  uphold  an- 
cestral wmrship,  as  it  does  not  appeal  to  them  as  being  idol- 
atry. It  has,  therefore,  contributed  much  to  the  darkening 
of  men’s  minds  to  the  nature  and  the  destiny  of  the  human 
soul  and  to  a spiritual  conception  of  God.  So  true  is  this 
that  he  who  gave  it  a new  life  and  name,  Confucius,  had 
no  word  to  express  the  reality  of  the  soul  and  the  realms  of 
the  spirit.  Ancestral  worship  perpetuates  geomancy,  div- 
ination, and  a multi- 
tude of  other  super- 
stitions, wdiile  caus- 
ing also  a very  large 
and  useless  expend  i 
ture  of  hard-earned 
money.  Mohamme- 
dans in  China  do  not 
allow  followers  of 
their  faith  topractice 
ancestral  worship. 

Buddhist  and  Ta 
oist  temples  and 
shrines  deck  the  face 
of  the  country,  as  do 
the  .schoolhouses  in 
the  United  States, 
only  they  are  much 
more  numerous  than  GREAT  BELL  TEMPLE,  3S"EAR  PEKING. 


13 


Buddhist  are  our  public-school  buildings.  Busy  streets, 
and  Taoist  quiet  lanes,  sequestered  valleys,  high  mountain 

Shrines  tops — “hills  and  groves  and  the  high  places” — 

are  all  chosen  as  sites.  The  larger  establish- 
ments often  support  two  or  three  hundred  priests  and  own 
many  large  tracts  of  land.  Their  buildings  are  relatively 
well  kept  up,  though  perhaps  not  so  well  as  the  Confucian 
temples  and  ancestral  halls. 

Buddhism  and  Taoism  perpetuate  the  grossest  forms  of 
idolatry.  The  chief  duties  of  the  priests  are  to  conduct 


FUXEKAL  PROCESSION  ENTERING  RESTORED  ASBURY 
CHURCH,  PEKING. 

funeral  services  and  to  act  as  assistants  to  those  who  come 
to  the  temple  to  worship.  They  live  an  indolent  and 
Their  often  profligate  life.  The  majority  of  them  are  ig- 
Priests  norant  and  unable  to  read  their  books,  though  there 
are  not  a few  who  are  saints  and  scholars  in  the  best 
sense  of  those  terms.  Still  they  are  parasites,  and  are  rec- 
ognized as  such  even  while  tolerated  and  supported.  Dr. 
Morrison  says,  “ Buddliism  in  China  is  derided  by  the 
learned,  laughed  at  by  the  profligate,  yet  followed  by  all.” 
The  influence  of  Buddhism  and  Taoism  on  life  tends  to 


14 


confirm  ignorance,  and  vice,  and  superstition,  and  to  hinder 
true  and  right  thinking.  Belief  in  their  tenets  is  not 
deep  and  vital.  The  worshiper  performs  the  rites  in  a 
Human  listle.ss  and  half-hearted  manner,  and  will  often 

Heart  stop  in  the  midst  to  talk  to  you  on  any  irrelevant 

Cravings  subject.  One  is  led  to  believe  that  these  religions 
exist  in  China  because  of  the  failure  of  their  great 
men  and  their  sages  to  teach  anything  definite  about  the 
soul  and  the  future  life.  The  little  these  faiths  have  been 
able  to  teach,  while  confused  and  full  of  vagaries,  has  found 
the  human  heart  longing  and  thirsting  for  spiritual  food. 
For  this  reason  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  will  be  able  to 
supplant  these  fal.se  beliefs  in  China,  for  it  has  an  answer  to 
the  cry  of  the  human  spirit  for  light  and  comfort. 

A strange  effect  of  the  religious  conditions  in  China  is 
the  mixture  of  all  beliefs  and  practices,  resulting,  no  doubt, 
from  vagueness  and  lack  of  authoritative  teaching.  The 
Confucianist,  the  Buddhist,  the  Taoist  is  not  exclu- 
Mixed  sively  of  one  religion.  The  religion  of  a Chinaman 
Beliefs  may  be  and  usually  is  a mixture  of  all  these  systems, 
and  that  without  any  wrench  to  his  theology  or  to  his 
logic.  He  shares  the  beliefs  and  engages  in  the  practices  of 
each  upon  occasion,  though  he  may  deride  them  in  time  of 
prosperity  and  safety.  This  attitude  of  mind  constitutes  a 
grave  danger  to  Christianity  among  the  Chinese.  It  makes 
it  very  easy  for  them  to  embrace  a new  religion  while  still 
clinging  to  and  practicing  the  old.  Buddhism  has  thus  been 
received,  absorbed,  and  reproduced.  If  the  Chinese  can 
accept  Christianity  as  co-ordinate  with  their  own  religion, 
it  will  be  an  easy  matter  and  will  also  soon  be  changed  into 
the  shadow  of  its  former  self.  But  it  is  not  being  so  preached 
and  it  is  not  being  so  accepted. 


HISTORY  OF  CHINA  MISSIONS  IN  GENERAL 
Leaving  out  of  account  the  traditions  of  the  Apostle 
Thomas  and  .the  other  earlj*  founders  of  the  Church,  the 
Nestorians  seem  to  have  the  honor  of  first  attempting  to 
plant  Christianity  in  China.  They  began  work 
Early  about  500  a.d.  and  for  six  or  seven  hundred  }"ears 

Nestorian  had  great  influence,  even  having  many  converts  in 
Missions  the  imperial  household.  After  the  establishment 
of  the  Ming 
Dynasty,  in  1368, 
nothing  seems  to  be 
known  of  them. 

Their  disappearance 
may  be  accounted 
for  bj'  tlie  terrible 
wars  and  slaughters 
that  took  place  in 
time  of  Genghis 
Kahn  and  his  de- 
scendants, by  the 
rise  of  the  Moslems, 
which  cut  them 
entirely  olf  from  the 
mother  church,  and 
by  the  loss  of  their 
original  purity  and 
zeal  for  teaching 
and  diffusing  the 
Bible,  when  their  numbers  became  great  and  their  political 
power  considerable. 

The  history  of  Roman  Catholic  missions  in  China,  which 
began  in  1288,  is  valuable  to  all  who  wish  to  understand 
more  perfectly  mission  work  among  the  Chinese.  This 
must  be  omitted,  with  the  statement  that  the  number  of 
Cliinese  Roman  Catliolics  is  given  by  most  authori- 
Roman  ties  as  about  one  million.  It  seems  that  no  great 
Catholic  outward  or  moral  changes  are  demanded  of  these 
Work  converts,  as  is  sought  in  the  case  of  Protestant 


HUOXZE  ASTRONOMICAL  INSTRUMENTS, 
PKKfNO.  16T4. 


Ill 


believers.  The  weakness  of  Catholicism  in  China  is  its 
similarity  to  Buddhism  and  other  heathen  religions.  Its 
strength  is  perhaps  largely  political,  and  it  certainly  is  not 
a spiritual  and  regenerating  power. 

Protestant  missions  were  started  by  the  now  great 
London  Missionary  Society.  Robert  Morrison  was  its  first 
missionary.  Unable  to  get  passage  from  England  direct, 
he  sailed  by  way  of  the  United  States,  landing  in 
Protestant  Canton  in  1807.  Here  he  lived  in  close  retirement 
Missions  for  nearly  a year,  when  he  was  compelled,  along 

Begun  with  the  other  foreigners,  to  move  to  the  island 

of  Macao.  Endowed  with  rare  linguistic  gifts,  he 
gained  a mastery  of  the  language,  and,  with  the  aid  of 
Milne,  entered  upon  the  immense  task  of  translating  the 
Bible,  which  was  completed  in  1818.  A dictionary  of  the 
language  was  published  about  the  same  time.  Hence,  his 
labors  were  of  the  most  lasting  character,  and  of  the  great- 
est importance  to  all  other  missionaries  who  were  to  follow 
him.  Although  he  early  began  a Sabbath  service  in  his 
own  rooms,  it  never  expanded  into  a public  congregation 
during  his  twenty-seven  years  of  labor.  The 
Morrison’s  first  convert  was  gained  in  1814.  When  Morrison 
Preparatory  died  in  1834,  only  three  other  missionaries  had 
Work  come  to  his  help,  and  the  prospect  of  direct 

evangelistic  work  was  nearly  as  dark  as  when  he 
landed.  The  church  formed  in  1836  contained  only  three 
converts.  However,  it  should  be  noted  that  much  addi- 
tional preparatory  work  had  been  going  on  among  the 
Chinese  in  the  settlements  to  the  south  of  China. 

At  the  close  of  the  pioneer  period,  in  1842,  only  four 
cities,  Canton,  1807;  Macao,  1808;  Hongkong,  1841;  Amoy, 
1842,  had  been  entered.  Not  more  than  twenty  missionaries, 
including  wives,  were  working  in  and  for  China 
Close  of  the  Only  two  provinces,  outside  of  the  settlements 
Early  Period  in  the  south,  had  been  touched,  and  only  six 
converts  had  been  won  to  Christ. 

The  Treaty  of  Nanking  in  1842  marks  the  beginning  of 
a brighter  day.  By  the  provisions  of  this  treaty  five  cities. 


IT 


Canton,  Amoy,  Foochow,  Ningpo  and  Shanghai,  were  opened 
to  foreign  trade  and  residence.  Missionaries 
Day  Slowly  were  not  slow  to  enter  these  centers  of  influence 
Dawns  and  to  prepare  for  still  wider  flelds  that  soon 

were  to  be  opened.  Traditional  hatred  had  not 
grown  less,  but  had  been  rather  augmented  by  the  war  and 
by  the  forcing  of  opium  upon  the  country,  as  well  as  by  the 
humiliation  of  being  compelled  to  admit  the  despised  for- 
eigners on  anj'  terms.  It  is  not  surprising,  therefore,  that 
at  the  close  of  this  second  period,  or  in  1860,  there  were 
less  than  one  thousand  communicants.  Still,  fifteen  addi- 
tional societies  had  entered  the  field,  and  the  missionary 
force  had  increased  to  160,  including  wives  and  unmarried 
women,  working  in  four  provinces. 

The  next  marked  manifestation  of  God’s  providence  for 
Cliina  is  shown  in  the  Treaty  of  Tientsin,  agreed  to  in  1858, 
but  not  ratified  until  two  years  later.  By  this  treaty,  pro- 
vision was  made  whereby  foreigners  could  travel 
T reaty  of  by  passport  anywhere  in  China,  and  protection  was 
Tientsin  guaranteed  to  natives  in  accepting  and  propagating 
Christianity.  To  a certain  limited  extent,  this 
threw  the  whole  country  open,  while  it  put  Christianity  on 
a decidedly  new  basis;  the  right  to  accept  or  to  reject  the 
Gospel  could  now  become  a matter  of  conscience.  That  the 
privileges  granted  were  promptly  embraced  is  shown  by  the 
report  of  the  Shanghai  Conference  held  in  1877.  At  this 
conference  120  men  and  women  representing  20  societies 
gathered  to  discuss  the  work  of  missions  in  China.  Their 
watchword  seems  to  have  been  “Co-operation.”  D.  Willard 
Lyon  says,  ‘ ‘ We  are  surely  not  wrong  in  counting  such  a 
conference  as  this  one  which  was  held  in  1877  one  of  the 
greatest  events  in  the  conquest  of  China  for  Christ.”  It 
appears  that  there  were  then  473  missionaries  in  China — 
three  times  as  many  as  in  1860.  The  communicants  had  in- 
creased from  1,000  to  over  13,000.  However,  only  nine  of 
the  eighteen  provinces  had  been  entered,  and  only  six  of 
these  nine,  or  the  coast  provinces,  were  in  anj"  sense 
occupied. 


18 


Up  to  1870  woman’s  work  had  not  received  special  atten- 
tion, but  in  1877  one-eighth  of  all  the  missionaries  were  un- 
married women.  In  the  earlier  stages,  also,  the  people  were 
afraid  to  go  to  the  hospitals,  and  pupils  had  to  be 
New  supported  in  order  to  be  induced  to  enter  foreign 

Agencies  schools.  Large  hospitals  and  large  schools  were 
impossible.  But  from  about  1877  medical  missions 
became  more  prominent  and  were  of  the  greatest  value  in 


DR.  ANNA  D.  GLOSS,  IN  HER  DISPENSARY. 

opening  up  the  interior  provinces.  From  that  date  also 
began  a larger  and  more  thorough  educational  work.  Former 
translations  of  the  Scriptures  had  been  revised,  and  new  and 
better  translations  were  being  made.  Special  societies  for 
Bible  distribution  had  begun  their  work,  and  tract  societies 
were  undertaking  a more  thorough  dissemination  of  relig- 
ious truths. 


19 


20 


BUILDINGS  OF  NANKING  UNIVKKSITY. 


From  tlie  records  of  the  Missionary  Conference  held  in 
Slianghai  in  1890,  it  appears  that  1,296  missionaries,  repre- 
senting 41  societies,  were  engaged  in  seventeen  of  the  eighteen 
provinces.  The  communicants  had  increased  to 
Summary  of  over  37,000,  while  the  native  ordained  helpers  had 
Progress  grown  from  73  in  1877  to  211  in  1890.  Ten  years 
later,  in  1900,  the  total  number  of  missionaries  had 
become  2,785,  with  6,388  native  workers  of  both  sexes;  the 
number  of  communicants  had  risen  to  112,808,  and  68  mis- 
sionary societies  occupied  the  eighteen  provinces.  Twenty- 
seven  per  cent,  of  the  foreign  force  were  the  wives  of  mis- 
sionaries, and  twenty-nine  percent,  were  unmarried  women, 
a significant  fact  when  we  recall  that  women  alone  have 
access  to  the  inner  courts  of  the  homes,  and  that  the  home  is 
“ the  cradle  of  the  race.” 

We  should  remember  that  with  this  numerical  growth, 
missionary  effectiveness,  improvement  in  means  and  meth- 
ods, a better  understanding  of  the  problems  before  the  mis- 
sionary, and  a deeper  knowledge  of  the  Chinese  as  a race, 
have  all  likewise  grown.  Not  only  so,  but  the  native  Church 
has  steadily  increased  in  self-support,  in  its  benevolences, 
and  in  its  spiritual  grasp  of  Christianity.  The  purpose  of  the 
missionary  is  more  fully  understood  by  the  masses  of  the  peo- 
ple, and  bigotry  and  hatred  have  largely  given  place  to  re- 
spect and  confidence. 

METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  MISSIONS 
It  is  a significant  fact  that  the  missions  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  in  China  had  their  incentive  in  a college. 
According  to  a statement  of  Dr.  John  M.  Reid  in  3Iissio)is 
and  Missionarij  Society  of  Methodist  Episcopal 
Methodist  Church,  the  Missionar}'  Lyceum  of  Wesleyan  Uni- 
Work  versify,  Middletown,  Conn.,  first  proposed  that  the 

Church  send  missionaries  and  a press  to  China. 
This  was  in  1835,  and  although  committees  were  at  once 
appointed  and  much  needed  preliminary  work  done,  it  was 
not  until  1846  that  the  Missionary  Society  put  China  in  its 
list  of  foreign  missions  and  made  an  appropriation  for  the 


21 


work.  The  amount  first  set  apart  was  $3,000,  which  was  to 
cover  the  support,  outfit,  and  traveling  expenses  of  two 
missionaries. 

The  first  man  appointed  was  Judson  Dwight  Collins,  a 
graduate  of  the  first  class  of  the  State  University  of  Michi- 
gan. He  had  felt  especially  called  to  China,  but  when  he 
first  applied  to  be  sent  out  was  told  that  our  Church 
First  had  no  work  there  and  that  it  would  probably  be  some 
Men  time  before  funds  could  be  raised  and  admission  opened. 
Sent  [His  response  was,  “ Engage  me  a place  before  the  mast, 
and  my  own  strong  arms  will  pull  me  to  China  and  will 
support  me  there.”  Not  long  after  this  the  way  opened  up 
and  he  was  appointed.  Moses  C.  White  was  the  otlier  man 
chosen.  They  sailed  for  China  from  Boston,  April  15,  1847. 
After  a journey  of  four  months  they  landed  in  Macao,  and 
on  September  4 reached  their  intended  station,  Foochow. 
This  place  had  been  chosen  because  it  was  thought  to  be  the 
only  one  still  (unoccupied  of  the  five  cities  then  open,  but 
later  it  was  found  that  the  American  Board  had  recently 
opened  work  there.  Our  missionaries  received  a hearty 
welcome  by  the  brethren  of  that  Board  and  were  given 
every  help  possible. 

A favorable  site  outside  the  city,  on  an  island,  was  soon 
chosen  and  immediately  made  ready  for  occupancy.  The 
first  real  work,  however,  was  to  learn  the  language.  While 
they  were  doing  that  interest  was  being  awakened 
Use  of  by  a careful  and  successful  use  of  a small  stock 

Medicines  of  medicines  that  they  had  brought  with  them, 

and  Tracts  From  the  older  missionaries  in  the  south  they  had 
also  secured  a large  supply  of  tracts,  which  were 
early  distributed.  So  great  was  the  need  and  demand  for 
literature  that  the  recpiest  for  a press  was  among  the  first 
that  these  two  pioneers  sent  to  the  Board.  In  October  of 
the  same  j'ear  the  Rev.  Harry  Hickok  and  wife  and  the  Rev. 
Robert  S.  Maclay  sailed  from  New  York  to  reinforce  the  in- 
fant mission.  They  arrived  in  April,  1848,  but  Mr.  Hickok 
had  scarcely  reached  the  field  when,  because  of  sickness,  he 
was  compelled  to  return  home  early  in  1849.  The  Rev.  J.  W. 


23 


Wiley,  afterwards  Bishop  Wiley,  with  Mrs.  Wiley,  arrived 
in  1851. 

The  first  boys’  school  was  opened  in  February,  1848,  with 
eight  boys  in  attendance,  and  a girls’  school  started  at  the 
same  time  had  ten  pupils.  The  following  month  the  first 
Sunday-school  was  organized.  For  several  years 
Schools  and  evangelistic  work  was  carried  on  chiefly  in  the 
the  First  tea  shops  and  in  the  open  streets,  though  a small 

Churches  place  to  be  used  for  tract  distribution  had  been 

rented.  It  was  not  till  1855  that  the  first  church 
— “The  Church  of  the  True 
God” — was  erected  on  land 
purchased  outside  the  south 
gate  of  the  city.  The  follow- 
ing year  another  church  was 
built  near  the  foreign  resi- 
dences, there  being  at  that 
time  a considerable  foreign 
community  which  desired  a 
place  where  regular  English 
services  could  be  held.  It 
was  not  till  a number  of 
years  after  this  that  a per- 
manent situation  was  se- 
cured within  the  walls  of  the 
native  city. 

During  these  first  years 
there  were  many  discourage- 
ments and  checks  to  progress. 

The  foreigner  was  regarded  as  an  intruder,  and  in  various 
annoying  ways  it  was  made  known  that  he  and  his 
Faith  religion  were  not  wanted.  Moreover,  in  1851  Mr. 
Amid  Collins  had  to  return  home,  where  he  died  the  follow- 
Trials  ing  year.  Soon  after  Mr.  White  was  compelled  to  leave 
the  field  owing  to  the  sickness  of  his  wife.  Then  the 
Tai-ping  rebellion  drove  all  the  others  of  our  mission  except 
Dr.  and  Mrs.  Wiley  to  Hongkong  for  safety.  But  only  a 
few  months  elapsed  before  Mrs.  Wiley  died,  and  ere  long 


MOSES  C.  WHITE. 


Dr.  Wiley  had  to  return  to  the  United  States.  At  this  time, 
when  all  work  was  at  a standstill  and  when  death  and  dis- 
ease had  wrought  such  havoc,  the  Board  with  sublime  faith 
said,  “Let  us  hold  fast  our  faith  in  the  Cliina  Mission  and 
trust  in  God.”  In  1855  the  Rev.  Erastus  Wentworth  and  the 
Rev.  Otis  Gibson,  both  married,  were  sent  out  to  take  the 
places  of  those  who  had  fallen. 

Two  years  after  this,  or  in  1857,  the  first  convert  was 
gained,  after  ten  years  of  seed-sowing.  This  man.  Ting  An, 
was  forty-seven  years  of  age,  with  five  children  and  many 
relatives.  Fortunately,  his  family  did  not  oppose 
The  him  in  his  new-found  belief,  and  it  was  not  long 

Work  before  his  wife  and  two  children  were  baptized. 

Organized  From  this  time  the  work  began  to  be  more  pros- 
perous. Thirteen  adults  and  three  infants  were  bap- 
tized during  the  year,  and  in  1858  the  entire  organization  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  China  was  completed  with 
members,  probationers,  class  meetings,  quarterly  meetings 
and  other  features  of  permanent  occupancy  and  work. 

The  following  year  began  the  expansion  that  has  since 
reached  to  West  China  and  to  North  China.  An  appoint- 
ment fifteen  miles  to  the  northwest  of  Foochow  was  made 
and  thirteen  inquirers  enrolled.  Six  natives 
Native  Helpers  were  licensed  as  exhorters.  Inquirers  and 
and  New  converts  began  to  multiply.  Encouraged  by 

Recruits  the  successes,  the  Board  sent  out  additional 

workers.  Dr.  Stephen  L.  Baldwin  and  three 
unmarried  women  arrived  in  1858,  and  the  Rev.  Carlos  R. 
Martin  the  following  year.  These  missionary  women  were 
the  forerunners  of  the  many  now  scattered  throughout 
China,  doing  a great  work  that  they  only  can  perform. 

The  first  annual  meeting,  held  in  1862,  shows  that  there 
were  six  male  and  eight  female  missionaries,  eleven  Chinese 
helpers,  thirty-two  baptized  members,  and  mission  property 
to  the  value  of  §30,115.  Three  lines  of  work  were 
First  being  vigorously  followed.  Direct  evangelistic 

Annual  preaching  was  the  chief  work.  In  addition  to  the 

Meeting  regular  service  held  in  the  several  chapels  in  the 


20 


city,  circuits  wei'e  formed  extending  out  into  the 
country  some  thirty  miles,  chiefly  to  the  north  and  north- 
west. Educational  work  embraced  a boys’  school,  a girls’ 
school,  several  day-schools  and  Sabbath-schools.  All  in- 
struction was  of  course  in  the  most  elementary  subjects. 
The  third  line  of  work  was  that  of  the  printing  press.  This 
embraced  translation  work,  writing  of  tracts,  together  with 
Bible  and  tract  distribution.  In  1867  Dr.  Baldwin  reported 
887,490  pages  printed. 

The  Rev.  Nathan  Sites  had  taken  up  his  residence  in  an 
out-station  twenty-five  miles  from  the  city,  and  was  itiner- 
ating as  far  as  Yen-ping  (long  bing),  150  miles  up  the  Min 
River.  In  1867  there  were  450  members  reported. 
Expansion  and  the  names  of  the  Revs  Virgil  C.  Hart,  Lucius 
N.  Wheeler,  Elbert  S.  Todd  and  Hiram  H.  Lowry 
were  added  to  the  mission.  This  year  marks  an  important 
epoch  in  the  history  of  the  work.  The  Mission  Board  deter- 
mined to  push  out  into  other  provinces.  Accordingly,  the 
Rev.  Virgil  C.  Hart  and  the  Rev.  Elbert  S.  Todd  were  sent 
to  Kiu-kiang,  about  four  hundred  miles  northwest  of  Foo- 
chow on  the  Yang-tsze  River,  some  five  hundred  miles  from 
its  mouth.  This  place  is  at  the  northern  en- 
Central  trance  of  the  great  Kiang  province,  at  the 

China  Mission  southern  entrance  of  the  Hupei  province,  and 
Begun  at  the  western  entrance  of  the  Nganhwei 

province.  Not  less  than  85,000,000  souls  that 
were  wholly  ignorant  of  Christ  were  in  the  three  provinces 
immediately  about  this  center.  Such  was  the  field  and  such 
the  beginning  of  the  Central  China  Mission. 

The  following  year  was  no  less  important,  for  it  was 
then  decided  to  open  work  at  Peking,  the  capital  of  the  em- 
pire. The  faith  and  enthusiasm  of  the  young  mission  at 
Foochow  were  irresistible,  and  ai’e  inspiring  to 
Peking  think  of  even  now.  The  vigorous  life-blood  of 

and  early  Methodism  was  in  their  veins.  Personal 

North  China  danger,  privations,  and  hardships  seem  only  to 
have  spurred  them  on.  Dr.  Maclay  and  the  Rev. 
Hiram  H.  Lowry  were  appointed  to  the  “ Peking  Circuit.” 


Later,  however,  the  Rev.  Lucius  N.  Wheeler  was  substituted 
for  Dr.  Maclay,  because  the  health  of  the  former  demanded 
the  change  to  the  better  climate  of  the  north.  Mr.  Wheeler 
and  his  family  arrived  in  Peking  in  March,  1869.  His  only 
son  died  soon  after  their  arrival,  overcome  by  the  hardships 
of  the  then  difficult  journey.  Mr.  Lowr}'  and  family  joined 
them  about  a month  later.  Here,  as  at  Kiu-kiang,  a new 
language,  the  Mandarin,  had  to  be  learned.  In  the  course 
of  a year  an  excellent  situation  was  secured  just  inside  one 


RECONSTRUCTED  HOPKINS  HOSPITAL,  PEKING. 

of  the  gates  of  the  city,  near  the  quarters  of  the  foreign 
legations.  Since  then,  and  especially  after  the  Boxer  up- 
rising in  1900,  this  original  site  has  been  materially  en- 
larged. In  1871  the  first  public  Methodist  service  was  held 
in  the  capital. 

In  1869  Bishop  Kingsley  divided  the  whole  work  into 
three  missions, — the  Foochow,  the  Central  China,  and  the 
North  China.  Realizing  that  these  fields  were  too  large  for 
the  force  then  at  hand,  tlie  missionaries  asked  the 


From  Board  to  send  out  six  additional  men.  These  were 
1869  readily  sent,  the  Revs.  Franklin  Ohlinger  and  Nathan 
to  1877  J.  Plumb  to  Foochow,  John  Ing  and  Henry  H.  Hall  to 
Kiu-kiang,  and  George  R.  Davis  and  Leander  W.  Pil- 
cher to  Peking.  In  1873  these  were  increased  by  fifteen 
more  missionaries,  including  women,  and  by  seven  others 
the  following  year. 

For  the  year  1877  the  statistics  of  the  three  missions  are 
given  as  follows;  North  China,  5 missionaries,  o assistant 
missionaries,  4 missionaries  of  the  Woman’s  Foreign  Mis- 
sionary Society,  7 native  preachers,  and  .59  members.  Cen- 
tral China  had  5 missionaries,  3 assistant  missionaries,  and 
2 missionaries  of  the  Women’s  Board,  with  3 native  helpers 
and  31  members.  The  Foochow  Mission  was  at  that  time 
organized  into  a Conference.  There  were  5 missionaries,  5 
assistant  missionaries,  3 missionaries  of  the  Women  s Board, 
76  native  preachers,  and  1,241  members. 

With  this  brief  outline  of  the  founding  and  early  history 
of  the  mission,  let  us  survey  the  work  as  now  arranged. 
The  North  China  Mission  was  organized  into  a Conference 
in  1893.  The  West  China  Mission  was  begun  in  1881  and 
the  Hing  hua  Mission  was  separated  from  the  Foochow  Con- 
ference in  1896. 

At  the  present  time  the  Foochow  and  Hing  hua  work 
theoretically  includes  all  of  the  Fukien  province,  which 
contains  not  less  than  15,000,000  people,  but  in  reality  not 
much  more  than  about  one-half  of  the  province 
Present  is  touched  by  the  work  of  our  mission,  though 

Arrangement  this  portion  is  the  most  fertile  and  the  most 
of  Field.  populous,  and  embraces  much  more  than  one- 

half  of  the  people.  Broadly  speaking,  this  ter- 
ritory is  within  a radius  of  294  miles  of  Foochow.  The  Cen- 
tral China  Mission  includes  work  in  part  of  the  Kiangsu, 
the  Nganhwei,  the  Kiangsi,  and  the  Hupei  provinces.  Be- 
ginning at  Chin-kiang,  130  miles  from  Shanghai,  it  extends 
fifty  miles  up  the  Grand  Canal  and  three  hundred  miles  up 
the  Yang-tsze,  with  an  average  width  of  perhaps  fifty  miles, 
but  with  a break  of  about  sixty  miles  between  Wu-hu  and 


29 


Kiu-kiaDg.  From  this  point  it  extends  southward  into  the 
Kiangsi  province  some  two  hundred  miles.  It  will  be  seen 
that  it  covers  an  immense  territory  as  well  as  a rich  and 
populous  one,  being  in  the  valley  of  the  Yang-tsze  and  of 
the  Kan  rivers.  The  West  China  Mission  is  confined  to 
the  central  part  of  the  Szechuen  province,  an  exceeding- 
ly populous  and  fertile  district  about  150  miles  long  by 
100  miles  wide,  with  as  yet  only  a few,  comparatively,  of 
the  large  cities  touched.  The  North  China  Conference  ter- 
ritory includes  “the  provinces  of  Shantung  and  Honan  and 
all  China  north  of  them,”  according  to  the  Missionary  Re- 
ports, but  as  }"et  work  is  confined  mostly  to  the  northern, 
eastern  and  southeastern  part  of  Chili,  with  a small  part  of 
northwestern  Shantung  province  included. 

The  missionaries  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in 
China  in  1902  numbered  148,  including  wives  and  workers 
of  the  Woman’s  Foreign  Missionary  Society,  and  of 
Summary  these  45  were  in  the  Foochow  Conference,  12  in  the 
Hing-hua  Mission,  38  in  the  Central  China  Mission, 
25  in  the  West  China  Mission,  and  28  in  the  North  China 
Conference.  Of  native  preachers  there  were  269,  and  of 
church  members  11,566. 

In  the  Foochow  Conference  the  output  of  the  printing 
press  has  grown,  till  in  1900  it  furnished  24,031,545  pages  of 
literature.  The  original  boys’  school  has  become  the  Anglo- 
Chinese  College,  with  over  300  students,  and  in 
Foochow  addition  there  are  four  high  schools  in  the  terri- 
Conference  tory  and  one  theological  school,  all  doing  excel- 
lent work.  Medical  work  includes  three  hospi- 
tals, one  under  the  parent  Board  and  two  under  the  Wo- 
man’s Foreign  Missionar\’  Society.  An  additional  hospital 
under  the  parent  Board  is  in  course  of  construction.  In  these 
hospitals  skilled  native  physicians  of  both  sexes,  trained  in 
Western  methods  and  practice,  co-operate  with  the  medical 
missionaries.  Day-school  work  has  been  largel}'  devel- 
oped. there  being  over  200  such  schools,  with  over  5,000 
boj'S  in  attendance.  These  schools  are  supported  partly 
from  local  sources  and  partly  by  special  gifts  from  the 


.30 


homelands.  Being  the  oldest  mission,  there  are  moie 
native  ordained  preachers  and  more  converts  than  in  the 
other  missions,  and  among  them  are  many  of  the  third  gen- 
eration. These  invariably  prove  more  intelligent,  more 
steadfast  and  more  conscientious  Christians,  in  short, 
better  grounded  in  the  faith  in  every  respect. 


DR.  HU-KING  ENG,  FOOCHOW. 

In  the  Hing-hua  Mission  the  work  consists  largely  of  the 
evangelistic  work,  though  there  is  a small  press,  a boys’ 
school,  an  orphanage  and  a theological  school.  In  both  of 
these  missions  in  the  south  there  are  many  dialect.<=, 


31 


Hing-hua  the  people  of  one  district  being  unable  to  under- 
Mission  stand  the  inhabitants  of  adjoining  districts.  Hence, 
there  are  certain  limitations  and  hindrances  which 
are  experienced  by  none  of  the  other  missions  in  the  terri- 
tory in  which  the  Mandarin  is  used  and  understood,  from 
the  Yang  tsze  to  the  Great  Wall  on  the  north  and  to  the 
borders  of  Tibet  on  the  west. 

The  Centi-al  China  Mission  now  has  work  in  all  the  large 
cities  on  the  Yang-tsze  between  Shanghai  and  Hankow  with 
but  one  exception,  the  provincial  capital  of  Nganhwei, 
Ngan-king.  It  also  occupies  the  capital  of  Kiangsi.  In 


CHUNG  KING  INSTITUTE.  OK  BOYS'  HIGH  SCHOOL. 


Central  addition  to  evangelistic  work,  two  large  hospitals, 
China  one  university,  and  one  college  are  supported.  In 

Mission  the  hospital  in  1900  there  were  treated  some  27,000 
patients,  and  the  school  enrolled  about  250  students. 
Each  center  has  several  day-schools,  but  as  a rule  such 
schools  ai'e  opened  only  where  they  can  have  the  closest 
foreign  supervision.  The  university  has  college,  theological, 
medical  and  preparatory  departments. 

The  work  of  the  West  China  Mission  is  also 
West  China  largely  evangelistic,  though  there  are  three  boys’ 
Mission  high  schools  and  a hospital  that  is  doing  especially 

good  work  in  breaking  down  prejudice  and  is 
opening  up  the  surrounding  country  to  the  gospel. 

The  recent  disturbances  in  North  China  resulted  indhe 


32 


destruction  of  most  of  our  mission  property  there  and  in  the 
total  disorganization  of  all  lines  of  mission  work.  Before 
the  work  was  destroyed  a most  excellent  educa- 
North  China  tional  and  evangelistic  work  was  carried  on.  In 
Conference  addition  to  the  Peking  University  there  were 
some  six  high  schools  closely  affiliated  with  the 
university.  The  university  suppoi'ted  college,  theological, 
medical,  industrial,  and  preparatory  departments.  The 
evangelistic  work  had  been  made  especially  strong  by  the 
fact  that  the  large  majority  of  the  graduates  of  the  univer- 
sity had  been  led  to  enter  the  ministry,  notwithstanding  the 
fact  that  many  lucrative  positions  in  the  Customs  and  Lega- 
tions were  open  and  inviting  their  services.  Practically  all 
the  buildings  destroyed  in  the  uprising  in  1900  have  been  re- 
constructed. Larger  plans  are  on  foot  for  even  a broader 
and  more  thorough  work,  and  it  will  not  be  many  years  before 
the  work  will  far  exceed  that  which  was  in  progress  in  1900. 

In  1902  the  Missionary  Society  appropriated  §126,630  for 
its  work  in  China,  and  there  was  collected  locally  from 
Support  all  sources  for  the  work  §18,907.  Self-support  is  grow- 
ing year  by  year,  though  it  will  be  many  years  before 
the  China  Mission  can  be  independent  of  help  from  the 
home  churches. 

Perhaps  the  most  distinctive  recent  forward  step  in  the 
China  Mission  was  the  projecting  of  the  Methodist  publishing 
house  at  Shanghai,  being  a joint  enterprise  inaugurated  by 
the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Missionary  Society 
Joint  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  and  the  Book 

Publishing  Committee  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
House  South.  An  act  of  incorporation  was  secured  under 

the  title  of  “The  Methodist  Publishing  House  in 
China,”  and  a board  of  directors  elected.  As  chairman  of 
the  board,  and  by  recpiest  of  that  body.  Dr.  Homer  Eaton 
visited  China  in  1903,  to  superintend  the  opening  of  the  new 
and  important  enterprise.  The  purpose  is  to  co-operate  in 
the  development  of  a great  publishing  plant  which  shall 
serve  the  whole  empire  and  do  the  work  for  both  the  great 
branches  of  Methodism.  Other  mission  presses  maintained 


by  either  Church  will  be  related  to  this  publishing  house  as 
branches.  At  the  same  time  Dr.  Eaton  officially  visited 
and  inspected  the  work  in  North  and  Central  China  and  at 
Foochow. 

Before  closing  this  brief  statement,  special  mention  must 
be  made  of  God’s  protection  and  watch-care  over  His  repre- 
sentatives in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  China. 

There  have  been  many  times  of  unrest  and  many 
Wonderful  riots.  More  than  once  the  missionaries  have  been 
Protection  driven  out  of  their  stations  to  seek  shelter  in 
Slianghai  or  Japan,  but  as  far  as  can  be  learned  no 
foreign  missionary  of  our  Board  has  suffered  death  at  the 
hands  of  a Chinese  mob.  In  1870  twenty-two  foreigners 
were  killed  in  Tientsin  and  our  missionaries  were  shut  up  in 
Peking.  Not  one  was  injured.  In  the  Ku-cheng  massacres 
in  189.1  our  missionaries  escaped.  Not  less  than  three  or 
four  times  has  our  mission  been  driven  out  of  AVest  China, 
each  time  escaping  not  only  the  mobs  but  the  danger  of  the 
rapids  of  the  upper  Yang-tsze.  In  1900,  from  June  20  to 
August  14,  most  of  our  North  China  Mission  forces  were 
shut  up  in  the  heart  of  Peking,  besieged  by  shot  and  shell 
and  fire.  The  world  had  given  them  up  as  lost,  but  in  some 
marvelous  w’ay,  while  all  other  missions  in  the  north  lost 
heavily,  our  missionaries  escaped. 

In  this  terrible  crisis  of  missionary  development  in  the 
empire,  the  representatives  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Mis- 
sion proved  themselves  among  the  most  efficient  in  respond- 
ing to  the  new  and  imperative  demands  for  prompt. 
Brave  and  wise  and  courageous  action.  AVithout  doubt  tlie 
Forceful  successful  maintenance  of  the  long  defense  by  the 
Action  beleaguered  company  in  the  British  legation  quar- 

ters at  Peking  was  more  owing  to  Dr.  Frank  D. 
Gamewell  than  to  any  other  individual,  and  what  he  and 
other  members  of  our  mission  force  did  during  those  awful 
days  adds  undying  luster  to  the  record  of  our  China  Mission. 

The  native  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
in  China  have  repeatedly  showui  their  courage  and  fidelity 
to  Christ,  even  to  the  point  of  suffering  martyrdom,  before 


34 


Native  the  widespread  baptism  of  blood  in  1900  took  place. 
Chinese  As  a recent  instance,  the  first  martyr  to  the  Christian 
Martyrs  faith  in  West  China  was  Tang  Hsi  I,  the  talented 
Chinese  medical  student  who  in  1898  gave  up  his  life 
that  Christian  work  might  be  opened  in  Kiang-peh; 


Krorn  ChinifHe  Ilf  rues,  Ileadlaiul.  By  ])eriiiissiim  of  Katon  & Mains. 


TOU  LIEN-MING. 


and  among  the  latest  deaths  for  the  cause  of  Clirist  were 
those  of  June,  1903,  when  our  greatly  esteemed  native  pastor, 
Chu  Ts’en  yuen,  and  six  of  tlie  members  of  his  church  were 
killed  in  the  same  province  of  Szechuen. 


35 


But  it  was  left  for  the  closing  year  of  the  nineteenth 
century  to  give  to  the  world  the  spectacle  of  hundreds  and 
thousands  of  men,  women  and  children,  native 
Five  hundred  Chinese  Christians,  bearing  witness  to  their 
from  our  Lord  bj"  calmly  meeting  death  in  its  most  ago- 

Field  nizing  forms,  and  taking  their  place  in  numbers 

and  heroism  beside  the  martjTs  under  Diocletian 
at  the  end  of  the  first  century.  From  the  ranks  of  our 
China  Mission  membership  over  five  hundred  are  known  to 
have  thus  been  slain. 

Among  these  were  Chen  Ta-yung,  the  faithful  gatekeeper 
and  devoted  soul-winner,  who,  with  his  wife  and  youngest 
daughter,  thirteen  years  of  age,  was  hacked  to  pieces  on 
the  borders  of  Mongolia;  Lin  Ming-Ch’in,  whose 
Eminent  exhortations  to  his  enemies  were  not  silenced  till 
Examples  his  tongue  was  cut  out;  Tou  Lien-ming,  the  Spirit- 
baptized  Peking  Cniversity  student,  equally  brave 
in  his  last  words  of  earnest  address  to  the  brutal  Boxers; 
and  Liu  Wen-lan,  the  noble  Chinese  woman  teacher,  who 
without  a tremor  offered  her  head  to  the  sword,  after  en- 
couraging seventeen  of  her  girls  and  others  on  the  way  to 
the  place  of  martyrdom.  A new  roll  of  witnesses  could  be 
prepared,  matching  that  in  the  eleventh  chapter  of  the 
epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  of  Cliinese  Methodist  Episcopal 
Christians,  who  have  shown  how  the  followers  of  Jesus  can 
die  to-day  because  of  their  love  for  Him.  And  al- 
The  ready  it  is  evident  that  the  sacrifice  of  many  precious 

Coming  lives  of  foreign  missionaries  and  their  children,  and 
Harvest  of  native  converts,  will  soon  yield  a wonderful  har- 
vest in  the  profound  impression  produced  on  the 
Chinese  race  and  the  multitudes  it  will  bring  to  the  saving 
power  of  the  gospel. 

//  SPECIAL  IMPRESSIONS 
Probably  the  first  thing  in  China  that  would  impress  the 
student  of  Protestant  missions  would  be  tlie  evident  i)er- 
manency  of  tlie  work.  He  would  see  brick  buildings,  large, 
well  constructed,  and  commodious.  He  would  note 


36 


The  Solid  that  strategic  centers  had  been  chosen  and  com- 
Structure  pounds  advantageously  situated,  which,  while  not 
large,  were  made  attractive  with  trees,  shrubs,  and 
flowers.  All  the  outward  appearances  would  lead  him  to 
conclude  that  the  missionaries  were  here  to  staj',  that  their 
propertj'  had  not  been  built  and  laid  out  to  meet  transient 
needs  simply.  He  who  thinks  at  first  that  the  missionary  en  - 


BEFORE  ANjU  AFTER  BOXERISM. 

vironment  is  too  suggestive  of  comfort  will,  after  being  on 
the  streets  or  in  the  country,  where  he  encounters  the  sights, 
sounds  and  smells,  and,  in  addition,  is  almost  crushed  with 
the  misery  and  hopelessness,  of  a heathen  land,  come  to 
know  the  wisdom  and  value  of  having  at  least  one  bright 
spot  amid  that  which  otherwise  would  stifle  or  depress. 


37 


The  careful  observer  would  likewise  be  impressed  with 
the  fact  that  all  approved  missionary  methods  were  being 
applied  to  the  needs  of  China.  Something  commensurate 
with  the  force  available  is  being  done  for  nearly 
Range  of  every  class  of  people.  There  are  missions  and  spe- 
Agencies  cial  work  for  the  highest  as  well  as  for  the  lowest 
classes.  Orphanages  are  established.  The  blind 
have  schools.  The  poor  have  their  bodies  treated  in  the 
hospitals  and  dispensaries  and  their  souls  cared  for  in  the 
chapels.  Street  preaching,  street  chapels,  institutional 
churches,  gospel  boats,  gospel  carts,  all  find  a large  field. 
Industrial  schools  have  been  opened  to  a slight  extent. 
Universities,  colleges,  high  schools,  grammar  schools,  da}'- 
schools,  night-schools,  and  kindergartens  are  in  full  opera- 
tion. The  Young  Men’s  Christian  Association  has  entei’ed 
the  field  and  finds  a most  encouraging  reception  and  unlim- 
ited opportunities.  Bible  and  tract  societies,  colportage 
associations,  translation  bureaus,  Bible  revision  committees, 
together  with  numerous  papers  and  periodicals,  are  putting 
an  immen.se  amount  of  the  best  reading  matter  into  the 
hands  of  the  people. 

The  greatly  varied  experiences  that  crowd  upon  the  av- 
erage missionary  in  the  course  of  a week  would  be  noted. 
It  is  not  unlikely  that  he  will  have  several  I’egular  classes 
of  some  sort  to  teach,  several  services  to  conduct,  cases 
Varied  of  sudden  sickness  to  treat,  discipline  to  administer. 
Duties  disputes  to  settle,  something  to  write  or  to  translate, 
a complex  work  to  organize,  and  with  it  all  to  keep  a 
firm  hand  and  a watchful  eye  upon  every  detail.  Large 
demands  are  made  on  his  time,  also,  bj'  the  curious,  the  op- 
pressed, the  “man  with  an  axe  to  grind.”  and  the  official 
friends,  in  addition  to  those  of  his  own  dock.  As  time  is 
valued  but  slightly  by  the  Oriental,  it  soon  becomes  a bur- 
den to  regulate  one’s  social  duties.  On  every  side  it  would 
be  seen  that  the  present  force  of  missionaries  is  far  too  small 
to  do  adequately  even  the  work  undertaken,  while  it  would 
be  just  as  apparent  that  contraction  or  closing  up  of  an}- 
work  once  well  begun  would  be  disastrous  even  if  possible. 


38 


The  student  of  [missions  would  [ be  impressed  with  the 
character  of  those  engaged  in  the  work.  The  large  majority 
of  American  missionaries  are  college  bred.  Out  of  twenty- 
one  missionaries  working  in  a typical  center  re- 
Personnel  cently,  all  but  one  were  college  graduates.  Joy, 
of  the  hope,  energy,  perseverance,  optimism  mark  the 

Missionaries  average  missionary.  Limited  to  a pitiful  amount 


MISSIONARIE.S  AXD  1)1{.  HOMER  EATON  AT  SACRED 
TURTLE  AND  SHAFT,  RUDDHTST  TEMPLE. 

of  money  for  his  work,  he  is  accomplishing  vastly  more  than 
the  Church  has  a right  to  expect.  Moreover,  the  mission- 
aries are  among  the  best-informed  persons  in  the  empire, 
not  only  concerning  the  manners  and  customs  of  the  peo- 
ple, their  mode  of  thought,  their  virtues  and  their  vices,  but 
also  concerning  the  import  of  political  movements  and  the 
real  animus  of  people  and  officials  towards  the  foreign  na- 


30 


tions.  It  was  tlie  missionary  wlio  repeatedly  warned  the 
foreign  ministers  at  Peking  of  their  danger  and  exposed  the 
designs  of  a plotting  government  months  before  the  recent 
upheaval. 

A student  of  missions  could  not  fail  to  be  impressed  with 


From  Cfihicsr  I/rrvta,  Ueuillaml.  By  permission  of  Fatoii  iSi  Mains. 

C'lIEN  TA-YUNG,  THE  MAUTYR. 


the  substantial  advance  already  made  in  China.  In  the  many 
larger  centers  he  would  find  large  and  intelligent  congrega- 
tions of  Christians,  the  regular  Sabbath  attendance  in  many 
single  churches  ranging  from  three  hundred  to  twelve  him 


■10 


Advances  dred,  as  at  Foochow.  The  service  is  conducted 
Made  much  the  same  as  a service  in  a home  church, 

and  the  singing,  especially  in  those  churches 
connected  with  the  schools,  compares  favorably  with  that 
of  any  country.  The  large  districts  carefully  divided  into 
circuits,  the  regular  itineraries,  the  large  numbers  of  the 
people  under  constant  Christian  influence  in  churches, 
schools  and  hospitals,  together  with  the  many  agencies  at 
work,  show  that  the  hundred  years  of  effort  have  received 
nothing  less  than  God’s  special  blessing  to  be  able  to  show 
the  results  which  are  now  manifest. 

And  this  would  be  seen  nowhere  more  clearly  than  in  the 
character  of  the  converts.  The  gospel  of  Christ  is  as  pow- 
erful to  save  the  people  of  China  as  it  is  to  save  those  of 
America— a fact  sometimes  doubted  in  the  home- 
Converts  lands  and  even  by  Christians.  There  is  a striking 
similarity  of  Christian  experience  and  saving  grace 
among  Chinese  and  among  Anglo-Saxons.  Deliverance  from 
sin,  the  peace  that  passeth  understanding,  joy  in  Christ’s 
service,  longings  to  he  kept  pure  and  to  grow  in  grace,  de- 
sire for  the  salvation  of  friends,  relatives,  and  countrymen, 
are  the  constant  burden  of  prayer  and  testimony  meetings. 

Most  strongly  would  it  be  impressed  upon  the  mind  of 
the  observer  that  China’s  salvation  can  come  alone  from 
Jesus  Christ.  The  only  light  that  shines  out  of  the  dark- 
ness, that  offers  any  solution  of  the  problem  of  how 
“ China’s  to  enlighten  and  ennoble  this  great  people,  comes 
Only  from  the  Word  that  is  being  preached  and  the  truth 

Hope  ” that  is  being  exemplified  by  the  followers  of  Christ. 

The  native  religions  have  proved  themselves  utterly 
powerless  to  raise  the  Chinese  out  of  themselves.  Human 
life  is  debased  to  such  an  extent  that  the  dead  appear  to 
rule  the  conscience  and  actions  of  the  living.  The  student 
would  feel  that  the  people  are  so  bound  in  the  chains  of 
superstition  that  they  cannot  reach  up  to  God,  but  grope  in 
black  darkness,  with  hands  stretched  forward,  but  with 
eyes  ever  looking  backward.  Only  the  Supreme  Helper  can 
avail  to  bring  them  liberty  and  life.  ^ 


41 


DIFFICULTIES 


The  first  difficulty  that  should  be  mentioned  is  the  deep- 
seated,  traditional  hatred  of  foreigners.  Such  is  the  preju- 
dice and  suspicion  with  which  foreigners  are  regarded  that 
it  extends  to  the  religion  which  they  come  to 
Chinese  preach.  The  Chinaman  hates  the  gospel  before  he 
Antipathy  .hears  it,  not  because  of  what  it  is  in  itself,  but 
because  it  is  foreign.  His  patriotism,  if  he  has 
an3',  takes  the  form  of  contempt  and  hatred  of  all  that  lies 
outside  of  his  own  country. 


ENTRANCE  TO  EXAJIINATION  BOOTHS,  NANKING. 

Moreover,  in  China  the  missionary  is  confronted  with  a 
civilization  that  ages  have  developed,  and  with  a literature 
of  vast  extent.  He  sees  a social  system  peculiar  to  itself, 
exercising  a rigid  control  over  four  hundred  mil- 
lion souls  (407,253,029,  figures  of  1903).  Of  these 
Strength  of  things  a native  of  China  is  naturallj'  proud.  They 
Native  have  been  worked  out  by  his  race  alone,  superior 

Institutions  to  all  others,  and  are  the  exclusive  possession  of 


■12 


his  nation.  Why  should  he,  the  favored  of  heaven,  now 
turn  to  an  inferior  people  for  something  he  feels  is  not 
needed  ? Much  of  our  civilization  and  most  of  our  customs 
are  either  absurd  or  objectionable  to  him.  To  obtain,  there- 
fore, an  effective  vantage  ground,  to  disarm  prejudice 
against  ourselves  and  our  message,  needs  sense,  discern- 
ment, and  all  the  graces  promised  in  God’s  Word.  Large- 
ness of  mind  and  capacity  to  respect  that  which  is  honored 
by  one’s  hearers,  to  recognize  and  give  them  credit  for  all 
that  is  good  in  their  religion,  their  customs  and  their  civili- 
zation, alone  can  help  to  bridge  over  the  natural  barriers 
of  mind  and  temperament  that  exist. 

Closely  associated  with  this  difficulty  is  that  of  the 
native  and  the  foreigner  rightly  understanding  each  other. 
Not  only  is  the  language  in  itself  peculiarly  difficult  for  a 
foreigner  to  master  and  use  intelligibly,  but  it  is  also 
Lack  of  sadly  deficient  in  terms  expressive  of  spiritual  truths 
Ideas  in  and  of  the  higher  moral  and  intellectual  concepts. 
Common  To  make  known,  therefore,  the  best  things  that  the 
missionary  has  to  give,  he  must  create  a new  vocabu- 
lary, and  develop  not  only  tbe  vehicle  for  expressing  it,  but 
also  the  mind  of  his  hearer  so  that  he  may  grasp  it.  The 
Chinese  are  slow  to  receive  new  ideas,  and,  until  a degree  of 
development  has  taken  place,  we  should  not  be  greatlj’  dis- 
appointed if  converts  do  not  measure  up  to  all  our  standards 
of  spiritual  discipleship. 

Another  more  subtle  difficulty,  affecting  the  progress  of 
true  Christianity,  is  that  the  foreigner  is  popularly  supposed 
to  be  rich,  and  to  have,  if  need  arises,  the  power  of  his 
government  at  his  command.  A Chinaman’s  highest  am- 
bition is  to  acquire  office.  With  money  he  can  obtain  official 
position  and  power,  and  can  lord  it  over  his  less  fortunate 
countrymen.  He  can  have  good  food,  good  clothes,  and 
.sons  may  elaborate  the  worsliip  at  his  grave  when  he  is  dead. 
The  missionary  is  constantly  lielping,  financially,  the  poor 
and  suffering.  His  expenses  for  living  are  vastly  in  excess 
of' those!  of  the  native.  He  never  seems  to  be  under  the 
necessity-[of_  borrowing.  The'pfiicial  is  on  his  side  in  all 


43 


44 


O’HEN  TA-YUNO’S  (JUANnnilLDRKN 


cases  of  dispute  or  litigation,  and  'so' [the  foreigner  and  his 
church  are  apt  to  be  regarded  as  unlimited  in  matters  of 
mone}'  and  influence.  There  is,  therefore,  a temptation  to 
make  friends  with  the  former  and  seek  admittance  into  the 
latter  for  purely  selflsh  purposes. 

While  those  who  come  into  the  church  with  these  motives 
and  remain  for  any  length  of  time  are,  doubtless,  compara- 
tively few,  still  the  majority  of  converts  so  far  have 
Danger  of  come  from  the  lower  middle  classes,  and  the  popular 
Wrong  opinion  of  those  above  them  is  that  they  are  in  the 

Motives  church  for  temporal  ends.  An  appeal  to  the  official 

class  meets  a barrier  of  pride  and  self-sufficienc}', 
which  can  be  overcome  only  by  a consistent  and  godly  life 
on  the  part  of  the  church  members. 

A more  inherent  difficulty  is  the  lack  of  moral  character. 
With  all  her  greatness,  the  reason  why  China  is  yet  so  weak 
is  to  be  found  in  this  fundamental  defect.  It  is  exhibited 
in  all  departments  of  public  and  private  life 
Life  from  the  lowest  coolie  to  the  highest  official. 

Without  The  former  requires  only  the  slightest  motive  to 

Moral  basis  falsify,  and  is  constantly  sharpening  his  wits  to 
cheat  and  deceive.  The  latter  buys  and  sells 
office,  enriches  himself  from  public  and  all  other  moneys 
that  pass  through  his  hands,  oppresses  and  taxes  all  those 
under  his  power,  and  makes  it  impossible  for  justice  to  be 
obtained — all  without  the  slightest  compunctions  of  con- 
science. Sin  as  we  understand  it  is  hardly  recognized,  and, 
as  long  as  it  can  be  concealed,  gives  no  concern  to  the  sinner. 

Unfair  advantage  has  often  been  taken  of  China  by  so- 
called  Christian  nations.  Wars  have  been  forced  upon  her; 
hard  bargains  have  been  driven;  rich  districts  have  been 
seized.  Many  of  the  lives  of  merchants,  government  em- 
ployees, soldiers,  sailors,  and  travelers,  as  seen  by  the 
Chinese,  are  selfish  and  immoral  in  the  extreme.  All  these 
things  tend  to  confirm  the  strong  prejudice  against  things 
foreign,  while  the  missionary  and  his  message  are  put  in  a 
position  to  be  doubted  and  derided.  It  may  be  true  that 
only  ten  per  cent,  of  the  men  and  only  one  per  cent,  of  the 


Examples  which  women  can  read  or  write,  and  they  maj’  be 
Misrepresent  slow  to  grasp  new  ideas,  j’et  it  is  equally 

Christianity  -true  that  they  can  readily  understand  a 

living  illustration.  It  is  a deep  reproach 
to  our  boasted  civilization  that  it  presents  so  much  that  can- 
not appeal  to  the  Chinese  as  having  any  advantage  over 
their  own  institutions  and  life. 

//  AN  APPEAL 

When  we  recall  the  fact  that  China  has  isolated  herself 
from  the  world  for  ages,  that  anj’  changes  in  her  require 
stupendous  effort  and  years  of  time,  that  the  surroundings 
and  atmosphere  in  which  Christianity  has  had  to 
The  Divine  develop  are  wholly  heathen,  that  the  number  of 
Working  missionaries  sent  to  China  has  been,  relatively. 
Manifest  very  few,  even  at  present  not  more  than  one  for 
every  130,000  souls,  we  are  convinced  that  God 
has  been  working  mightily  to  bring  about  the  measure  of 
success  which  has  been  attained. 

It  has  been  less  than  one  hundred  years  since  the  first 
missionary  arrived  in  China.  For  fifty  years  work  was  re- 
stricted to  a few  open  ports.  Now  foreigners  can  travel  or 
reside  in  any  part  of  the  empire,  though  it  is  only  recently 
that  Hunan,  so  long  closed  to  them,  has  been  opened.  The 
prayers  of  the  Christian  world  have  been  answered  most 
marvelously  in  unlocking  the  closed  dooi's  of  this  great  em- 
pire to  the  missionary  of  the  cross. 

The  time  is  one  of  imperative  urgency  and  grave  crisis. 
Signs  of  awakening  out  of  the  torpor  and  exclusiveness  that 
have  so  long  marked  the  Middle  Kingdom  are  to  be  seen 
on  all  sides.  Science,  learning,  appliances  and  in- 
A Time  of  ventions  are  being  eagerly  sought  after.  At  the 
Great  Crisis  reopening  of  the  reconstructed  American  Board 
and  Promise  buildings  in  Peking,  General  Ma,  who  commanded 
the  Chinese  troops  at  the  siege  of  Tientsin,  dined 
with  Minister  Conger  and  the  missionaries.  In  the  vast 
crowd  of  thousands  present  at  the  festivites  were  many 
former  members  and  several  officers  of  the  Boxer  organiza- 


46 


tion,  but  all  parties  appeared  to  rejoice  that  the  terrible 
passions  of  two  years  before  belonged  now  to  the  dead  past. 
The  new  treaty  provisions  are  likely  to  grant  to  merchants 
and  other  foreigners  freedom  of  residence  anywhere  in 
the  interior  for  business  purposes.  This  change  will  mean 
a large  influx  of  exploiters  and  adventurers,  as  well  as  re- 
liable business  men.  If  the  gospel  can  go  before  these  men, 
or  even  with  them,  it  will  mean  much  for  China. 


U.  S.  MINISTER  CONGER,  PRESIDENT  SHEFFIELD  AND 
GENERAL  MA. 

The  imperial  government  is  establishing  schools,  and  in- 
dividuals are  seeking  tutors  and  instructors  for  private 
schools  and  for  families.  It  is  now  the  high  privilege  of  the 
Christian  Church  to  supply  this  demand.  If  not  sup- 
plied soon  it  will  be  in  the  hands  of  the  ag- 
The  Educator  nostic  or  the  unbeliever.  Such  a door  of  oppor- 
and  T eacher  tunity,  probably,  has  never  befoi'e  been  placed 


47 


before  the  young  Christian  college  man  as  that  which  the 
educational  situation  in  China  now  urges  him  to  enter. 

The  call  of  God  from  China  must  come  with  special  im- 
l^erativeness  to  the  theological  student  and  to  the  minister 
of  the  gospel.  Here  are  presented  a nation  unsaved,  a mes- 
sage that  can  save,  specific  orders  to  speak  it 
The  Appeal  from  Him  who  died  to  make  that  salvation 

to  the  Minister  possible,  large  audiences  always  eager  to 
listen,  and,  for  one  who  devotes  his  life  and 
energies  to  the  work,  whole  prefects  and  provinces  as  pos 
sible  fields  for  Christian  conquest. 

May  God  burn  upon  our  souls  the  fact  that  the  very 
existence  of  the  Church  dep)ends  upon  its  response  to  the 
urgency  of  such  a situation,  and  kindle  an  irresistible  desire 
and  purpose  to  bring  the  gospel  to  this  great  people  for  their 
individual  salvation  and  for  their  national  deliverance  and 
fulness  of  life.  y 


LITERATURE 

Among  recent  books  of  fresh  and  varied  interest,  from 
the  point  of  view  of  the  missionary,  are  the  works  by  Kev. 
Arthur  H.  Smith,  D.D.,  Village  Life  in  China,  $2.00;  Chi- 
nese Characteristics,  $2.00;  China  in  Convulsion,  2 vols. , 
$5.00  net;  and  Chinese  Heroes,  by  Isaac  T.  Headland,  D.D., 
$1  00  net.  Dawn  on  the  Hills  of  T’ang,  by  Mr.  Harlan  P. 
Beach,  cloth  50  cents  net,  paper  35  cents  net,  is  a remark- 
ably helpful  descriptive  and  missionary  hand-book.  See 
also  -his  Princely  Men  in  the  Heavenly  Kingdom,  cloth  50 
cents  net,  paper  35  cents  net,  the  Epworth  League  Mission 
Study  text  book  for  1903-4,  and  Chapter  XI,  “China  and  Its 
Dependencies,”  in  his  Geography  and  Atlas  of  Protestant 
Missions,  Vol.  I.  The  most  complete  and  authoritative 
survey  of  the  country  as  a whole  is  that  by  Dr.  S.  Wells 
Williams,  The  Middle  Kingdom,  revised  edition,  2 vols., 
$9.00.  These  and  any  other  missionary  books  desired  can 
be  obtained,  through  the  pastor,  of  the  Methodist  Book 
Concern. 


48 


